Hyuga Village: The Bloodline Branches
by Proserpina-FC
Summary: A Konoha Creation Story: If the Hyuga weren’t so selfish, if the Nara weren’t so unreliable, if the wars would just STOP! Two young boys dream of a forest. And a village… Sorry, no Naruto or modern characters for a while.
1. 1: In a Time of Many Fires

_"Let's go north, Love. Only for tonight."_

Chapter One: In a Time of Many Fires

Long before the founding of Konoha, the Land of Fire had several small villages constantly at war, sometimes with each other but mainly with the neighboring lands. Within many of the villages were special clans that were dedicated to the art of ninjutsu. Other similar clans did not have village homes at all, but were migratory, like the Inuzuka clan. Other clans worked together naturally, like the Akimichi, Nara and Yamanaka clans, who lived in the north. One clan, the Hyuga clan, had a well-kept settlement in the center of the Land of Fire. Entire armies would invade the Land of Fire, hoping to conquer the wooded terrain. The armies were rarely of shinobi status and possessed little of their sense of honor. They would raid homes, violate the innocent and had no real strategy to their killing, except to wreak havoc.

During this time, ninja who would normally ignore the bloodshed, took a stand. On the edge of a waterfall, a kunoichi from the Fire Land made a pact with a lightening using enemy that this spot would mark the permenant boundry between their lands. They would actively keep rogue armies, no matter where they came from, from crossing this line and hurting the other land's villages.

The kunoichi's husband, who was not a fighter, went to the Hyuga village and the Aburame village…. He told every Mitokado, Utatane and Inuzuka that he could find; he traveled deep down to the bottom of the northern mountains to inform the Nara's and their friends, only to discover that they already knew of the pact. "We know everything that happens in this land before it happens. Even your wife's pact."

"Then why weren't you there? You could have supported her!"

"Too troublesome…"

Only Lightening and Fire clan agreed to ceasefire. The other ninja clans tried to take advantage of the two Lands, but rarely succeed. The kunoichi's husband, desperate to find help, went west to the desert. There he met a young man like himself who asked him not of war or ninja…

"What do you think of the tailed beasts?"

"They should be expelled from the Lands!"

"They are beings of chakra, can't you see the opportunity in that?"

"The Hyuga have shielded us from harm these 7 years. I don't think we need demons as well. The rogue armies have all but been disbanded. Can't we finally have peace?"

The young politician from the desert laughed. "You should hear the plans that my people from the Canyon have…" He turned and walked away, and the kunoichi's husband never bothered to return to Wind again.

But the fighting continued between Ninja. In time, it became known as the Great Ninja War. Fire and Lightening fought against Earth. Wind supported Lightening but not Fire. Water was still struggling against it's own islands and did not bother with the mainland conflict.

The Kunoichi settled in the Hyuga village and began to take on students. Well, one could not call it he Hyuga village anymore. Since the time the Fire clans first started working together, more in more of them bought property around the Hyuga compound to live there. The kunoichi trained her students tirelessly with the help of a Hyuga she amired named Hoshi. This Hyuga was different from his brothers. He was very ambitious, especially for a being born in what he called, "The Outer Ring."

"I am so far on the branch, I am a leaf. This is okay to me. I will work with what God gave me. Weakened Byakugan and all." Hoshi, with his pale brown eyes, would smile when he said this. A smile that everyone believed.

Hoshi considered himself a man of science. Oh, yes, he was a ninja, but he found working behind the scenes of war slightly more enjoyable. He fought with the kunoichi when necessary, but he also worked with her husband.

"When I was in Wind, Mozaemon spoke of nothing but the tailed beasts! People are losing their lives in this war, and he speaks creating another conflict!"

Hoshi patted the husband's shoulder. "He has a point – a small point. Harnessing the power of a tailed beast could give a shinobi amazing powers. But the ninja of Wind are idiots, do not worry so about them. While they do have a demon in their confines, I have been up to new jutsu that would make the nine-tailed demon stop in his tracks." Hoshi winks.

The husband laughed. "A Hyuga, developing jutsu? It's unheard of! Perhaps you really aren't one after all."

"My wife is expecting. I will soon be a father. What do you think of that?"

"Another fine generation is being born. Your daughter… son… umm… child, will certainly be a leader and hero, just as you have been a good man to us, Hoshi."

Years passed.

The kunoichi who had forged a large step toward peace in the Lands was dead. Her students mourned her. Her husband, who had became the First Daimyo of the Land of Fire cried over her grave. Hoshi brought many flowers to her grave.

"Thank you," he said over her grave, near the Hyuga compound. "For your encouragement. And for teaching my sons." Two preteenage boys stood behind their father, one with the usual dark hair, but dark skin. The other with the usual pale skin, but shocking white hair. Hoshi guided his sons home, which was far from the village square. Hoshi had long ago abandoned his name and his sons knew of the Hyuga only as everyone else did. They did not have Byakugans, so Hoshi saw no point in informing the boys of their lineage.

When the boys were small, their father told them to choose surnames for themselves. He gave his usual, warm smile as he sat in their home, waiting to hear the boys responses.

The younger one lifted his small eager hands and the air and said, "I shall be known as Mizumaru Ikariko!"

Hoshi laughed. "You are a child of Fire, boy."

"That's why I'm **hot** water."

"Take it as you wish. And you, Taro?"

"Father, I wish to be Taro Konoha."

Hoshi's smile faded ever so slightly. "A leaf, son?"

"Yes," Taro smiled so happily on that day. "What will you name yourself, Father."

Hoshi stared at his first son, his white teeth bare as if he were a dog. "Well, I would call myself Uchiwa, my son."

"Hoshi Uchiwa! Hoshi Uchiwa!" The smaller boy cheered.

No, not "Hoshi." I will never be Hoshi again….


	2. 2: A New Family

_"Doesn't the Moon look radiant tonight, Love?"_

Chapter Two: A New Family

"Umm…. This is some good sushi." Fourteen year old Mizumaru licks his lips, too engrossed in his meal to notice his partners burning glare.

"Pick up your oar, asshole! We'll never make it to Kirigakure by sundown…" Seventeen year old Tsurugi groans, biting his lip in frustration.

One by one, Mizumaru licks his fingers. "Sure we will. The water is doing half the work! Relax. Besides…. The question isn't 'what time will we land', it's 'is it safe to land.'"

"I highly doubt that Water is setting a trap."

The platinum blonde reclines to gaze at the reddening sky. "I am the last person to think ill of Water, but this strange new alliance… Village Hidden in the Mist. They've formed a village specifically to train shinobi. If that doesn't scream, 'We are preparing ourselves to invade you,' what does?"

"What are you talking about? This Kirigakure thing is just a copy of what we have been doing in Hyuga for, what, nearly twenty-five years now. They just gave it a different name. It's happening in Hyuga, anyway. There are quite a few families with no shinobi in them living there, doing the jobs that we would be doing. The bank has been set up, outposts, and restaurants. Have you been to the library that the Haruno Family set up? Where did they even get that many books from?"

Mizumaru laughed. "The funniest thing is that the Hyuga Clan doesn't know whether their sacred stomping ground becoming a public village is a good thing or a bad thing. Actually, it's just the Main House that thinks it's a travesty. The branches who were the bank tellers and bookkeepers before are glad to be just shinobi. Civilians should do that sort of work. What's the point of being a ninja at night and a janitor by day?"

Tsurugi nodded. The young men rowed some more until they felt the true meaning behind fatigue.

"God, this feels awful!" Mizumaru groaned, hunched over in their small boat.

"A Fire boy would be so weak."

Mizumaru looked up at a baffled looking Tsurugi. "Did you just suddenly become a girl and insult me?"

"The genius of Hyuga, huh?"

The boys flipped around to see a small floating head next to their boat. The head bobbed back and forth, giving the boys a sardonic look.

Mizumaru spook first. "We come in peace, fish girl."

"FISH GIRL?!" The girl's hand signs were much too quick to recognize but the point was clear.

Two whirlpools opened up before the boys and sent the boat spinning. "Aaaahhhhhhh!!"

The girl laughed at the sound of fear, but within that bawling… "_Suiton: Hahonryū_!"

Mizumaru jumped out of the spinning boat and plunged his hands toward the girl. In his hands were two spiraling cords of water, growing larger by the second. The girl flinched into the ocean.

"_Katon Suiton Combination: Ikarikoryū_!"

The water in Mizumaru's hands began to boil and not even diving deep into the ocean could stop the heat from his attack from bubbling over the girl's body. The pain was fierce and the water kunoichi couldn't help from screaming despite her position. She would not have to worry about drowning though. Bubbles of hot air rose around her and she was pushed to the surface.

A strong arm clasped around the girl's side. She looked up to see Tsurugi holding her. She glanced around and saw that while the foreigners' little boat was bobbling halfheartedly in the water, the boys were standing on the water with little sign on their faces that they would miss their boat.

"Aww… what's wrong, little kunoichi?" Mizumaru barely seemed out of breath. He straightened his navy blue ribbon over his forehead and adjusted his shinobi armor (which was quite heavy, thank you very much). "Didn't you like my Hot Water Demon Dragon? Now, please tell me that you are not the Hyuga Welcoming Committee?"

The girl whimpers.

Tsurugi tugs reassuringly at the girl. "I think that meant 'yes' in Water. You tell me though, Mizu-sempai, you're the water genius."

_"The Moon pales in comparison to you, My Pet."_

Sixteen year old Taro sat in front of a tree in his garden, rocking his six-year-old sister in his arms. Humming a lullaby from his young, Taro brings little Kimura closer to his chest. The girl yawns and tugs on her brother's kimono. A rare occasion nowadays.

"I'm six now, I have no need for dolls! I must begin training!" Kimura said those words just that morning to one of her party guests. Taro was very glad that his gift was more age neutral.

Slowly, Taro rocked onto his feet and headed into the main house. He snuck quietly up the stairs and into Kimura's room, where he placed her onto her bed. He slid her shirt off and earned a cute little "wawum" for his troubles. He reached for Kimura's nightgown.

"Arms, Chibi, arms."

Her little arms stretched out and Taro slid them through the sleeves. He straightened out the soft fabric against Kimura's body, and then tugged at the hems of her pants. Her legs wiggled until they were free from their restrains. Taro bent, removed Kimura's navy blue ribbon and kissed her forehead.

"Happy birthday, Kimura Uchiwa."

"Wawum!…"

Taro chuckled. He gathered Kimura's birthday outfit (an expensive set with elaborate red and white patterns) and slid close her door. Chucking the outfit into the hamper at the outside section of the hallway, Taro wondered what to do with the rest of his evening.

_"You say such charming things, you foolish kit." _

Agari Uchiwa leaned to her side and patted her absurdly round belly. The kunoichi was surprised she could still stand with fifty extra pounds placed ever so strategically in front of her. In fact, she thought jovially, what else can I still do?

Agari looked out of the kitchen doorway. When she saw no one, she made her war to the wide U pipe hanging low at the corner of the room. (The kitchen was far from finish with its remodeling, but her husband promised it would be over soon.) Positioning herself so, she jumped and grasped the pipe. Slowly, she pulled herself until her chin touched the metal.

"One."

Again and again Agari willed herself. She had no idea having two little people inside her could make her so heavy! None of her other children were this heavy, but then again, these were twins.

"Eight."

"What a woman."

Agari focused away from her exercises to the man standing in the doorway. Her face lit up at the sight of her (so handsome!) husband. His straight, blue-black hair framed his chiseled face, yet spiked up in innumerable angles in the back. He still wore his shinobi armor (Kimura insisted that he wear it for her party.)

"Madara!" Agari let go of the pipe and landed with a loud click. Madara stretched out his arms to receive his wife. "Be careful," he kissed her, "What is wrong with you?"

"Where have you been? You left so suddenly…"

"Business from the North. Nara clansmen have refused to attend three meetings so far. Bullshit about it being troublesome to travel from the North to Hyuga twice a month."

"Why won't they move?"

"Because they are attached to their home." Madara moves pass Agari and pulls out a glass for water.

"Madara, where is Taro-kun?"

"He left when I came in…"

"What! Oh, no, I wanted to talk to him!" Agari dashed out of the kitchen, towards the nearest door.

"You are carrying my children, Woman!"

But she was gone.

_"I may be a fool, but atleast I am still well feared. I will always have that."_

"Taro-kun! Taro-kun!" Agari pulls her robe tighter to her body as she walks down the street near her house.

"Yes, Agari-okaasan."

Agari turns on her swollen heel to see her step-son standing in the moonlight. _God, this family is gorgeous…_ "Taro-kun, what will you tell that lawyer? Hmm…"

"Hanako-kyou left me everything of hers and left her family nothing. What am I supposed to tell him? Can I walk up to her estate and tell her widower and children that I am not the bad guy? They already think I tricked Hanako-kyou into changing her will."

"Impossible! Kin would never think such a thing about you!"

Taro looked away. "Truly Kin and her family are not the origin of the rumors, but I am not welcomed at her house. Hyuga seem to be behind most of the whispers."

"Well, the Hyuga do not favor those not like them." Agari said. Taro laughed.

"Agari-okaasan, you have no clue, do you?"

"Clue about what?"

Taro squatted to the ground and kissed Agari's swollen belly. "Stay content, Agari-okaasan." The street lamps shone dimly on the street. Taro's brown eyes looked orange and hot, and for a moment Agari was not sure she ever knew who Taro was.

"Taro-kun how was your day? You seemed sad today."

"Our country is at war, Mizumaru is away and my sensei died last week and put me in a controversial and unflattering situation. _Why would I be sad_?"

"Ohh… well, yes, I know that, but I meant that you seemed sad. _Heartbroken_, even." Agari wrapped her arm around Taro's broad shoulders and gave a hopeful smile.

Taro laughed. "Agari-okaasan, you seem happy at the prospect that a girl dumped me."

"Not at all, Taro-kun! But loving and losing is better than…. have you ever been on a date?!"

Taro laughs again, his soft voice echoing in the night air.

_"You are a fool indeed. But if it satisfies you... I still revere you."_

"Agari-okaasan, have you ever meet Hideyoshi? He is the proudest Hyuga ever. His eyes are a sterling silver. His hair is long and dark and his skin is pale. He wears the robes of a great nobleman, a great shinobi. Ahh, but alas he is Branch. I remember when you first asked Father why such things mattered. Father had not laughed so in years."

"Do you know why only Branch Hyuga wear ribbon on their brows; ribbon with the symbol of Hyuga: a spiral? A _neji_. You know why young ninja wear the _neji_, I'm sure. It is our way to show alliance with the House.

"Agari-okaasan, I have seen what is under the ribbon that I wear myself. Hideyoshi's daughter approached me one day and snatched my ribbon of my head. When I protested, she removed her own. With hate in her lovely eyes, Hinata-chan said to me:

"_Because of your cursed blood, we are chained to this village! And it is only because of Hanako-kyou that you live here at all. Don't you **ever** wear our symbol, Bakemono!"_

"What you bare, my poor, ignorant Agari-okaasan is _Uchiwa_. And Uchiwa, as Father has explained to me, will be something far different from any Hyuga. I am not sure why I am sad. But since that day I have wondered what he could have done that all Branch Hyuga must now bare those curious seals."


End file.
